Distorted
by Ageless Light
Summary: Lorne joins Ali on her morning run, and takes her for brunch afterwards. Fifth in the one shot series “Airport girl.” Direct sequel to “Defined" and prequel to "Decided."


**Title:** Distorted

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by:** Nobody right now! But I'd like one!

**Fandom:** Stargate Atlantis

**Characters/Pairing: **Evan Lorne and OC. Mention of Daniel/Vala and Cam/Carolyn and past Lorne/Cadman

**Genre:** General/Romance

**Rating: T** (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

**Summary:** Lorne joins Ali on her morning run, and takes her for brunch afterwards. Fifth in the one shot series "Airport girl." Direct Sequel to "Defined."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in the Stargate Universe. I do own the OC's though. I went to BabyNames . com for my character names.

**Warnings/Notes:** This is the final Oneshot in the series. It is the direct sequel to "Defined." Takes place about 2 weeks after "Determined". I would suggest reading the other fics first. They are a quick read, and you can access them from my profile page if you need to.

**Spoilers: **Spoilers for Season 5's EATG.

**Word Count:** 3,942

**Created on:** September 21, 2009 **Revised/Edited on: **October 25, 2010.

**Status:** Complete

**Category: **Series of One-shots. Now complete!

"Talk" – regular talking

_Talk-_ Thoughts/reading

* * *

Distorted

Years of following the same routine of waking up early had Evan already up before his alarm went off, staring absently at the ceiling. The opening sound of Metallica's "The Four Horseman" was heard from his IPod and he finally decided to get out of bed. The first thing he did like always was check his phone. Scanning through his text messages, he re-read Ali's latest text.

Last night, in his sleep muddled brain he remembered his phone going off. Briefly scanning it he responded before falling back to sleep on his couch. Clicking on the message from the contact "airport girl" he read:

_Rock climbing really kicked my butt tonight. Would it be alright if we meet a tad later tomorrow? 9ish? _

Rock climbing? He wondered. Glancing at the message below he was thankful he had responded positively last night. Realizing that he was up hours before he was suppose to meet Ali, he decided to kill time around his apartment. Working on the mundane things that he had let slide would fill up the time quickly. By spending time on simple house chores his mind was free to wander. Predictably his thoughts landed on Ali.

Since that night at the bar when he saw her again everything had become off kilter. Recently, whenever he had free time to let his mind wander his thoughts always ended up on her. As of now they were friends, since neither had made any definite move to go past that. In reality they were more than friends but had yet to actually act on anything. At first, he tried to be just the guy friend regardless of his attraction to her but it didn't work. Now they were spending time together almost every other day and it was becoming oddly bittersweet. He didn't want a one night stand, or a fling, and he knew she was not that kind of woman anyway. But he also didn't start serious relationships anymore for fear of leaving someone behind. The lines were blurring fast and the sexual tension building up was felt by both of them. Several times, there would be a moment in whatever they were doing, when one of them almost made a move. He knew she often saw it in his eyes just as he did in hers. Still, neither made any romantic moves towards each other and he was running out of time.

After O'Malley's they had periodically texted each other throughout the next day. Their bantering and quip remarks made him laugh, and he found himself looking forward to her daily messages. This had eventually evolved into messaging each other almost continuously as soon as they had a free second. It was discovered in one of their text battles that she didn't know how to play billiards. Two days, after their reunion he had spent an evening teaching her how to play pool at a more respectable bar. He didn't want to have their first meeting alone seem like a date, so billiards was the perfection solution. They had met a few more times since then but he had not seen the violinist since the night they met at a local park to attend a small festival.

There was an odd moment when they were sitting on the hill waiting for the live band to set-up when Cadman called. For the remainder of the night Ali retreated and was obviously cautious in her actions. She had stopped flirting with him and had given him more personal space than she usually did. Once he told her he had broken up with Cadman for good things between them started to return to normal.

Lorne always assumed how his job with the Stargate program would eclipse everything else. Yesterday though, he caught himself thinking how it hadn't been like that the past sixteen days with Ali. Despite the secrets he was keeping and the danger he put himself in daily, he found him thinking about the future and what it would be like to have Ali in it.

The last few days at the SGC had been hectic, no surprise, for Lorne. Sheppard and his team were late checking in by three days and he had to wait for his superior's comments on the files he sent him, before he could move forward. This had pushed the _Daedulus' _departure date back almost a whole week.

Interaction with Cadman had been strained; she purposely found a way to make her presence known every time she came back from the Alpha site. Avoiding her was becoming difficult, because she would look at him with those large eyes of hers. Every time she looked at him like that he was able to discern another and separate emotion. So far he recognized possession, anger, pain, and what he thought was longing. She was acting like she was the wounded girlfriend, when that wasn't the case.

Frankly, he didn't really care at this point and a part of his was ashamed for his indifference. The spunky marine never acted like this when they were together and their periods of being together were never serious enough to merit any of those emotions.

As his time with Ali increased, he found out that that she was extremely unpredictable. She never fit into any profile he thought she would and he was constantly re-evaluating his thoughts on her. At first he thought she was the artistic type. He learned that even though she was a violin prodigy, she also played piano; but her parents never let her pursue it seriously when she was younger. Her mother, Colorado's senator and General O'Neill's younger sister, wanted her to have a good foundation. She took advanced classes and graduated high school two years earlier than most kids her age and entered college. Her father was a prestigious lawyer, and between their high expectations of her, Ali double majored in psychology and political science because she was expected to become a senator.

After completing her undergraduate studies, she continued her education and received a Doctorate in Anthropology and had plans to pursue a Doctorate in Sociology in the near future. All of which were against her parent's wishes. It was during one of their lunches when he realized that she was more of a bookworm than he originally thought.

In turn, Evan finally told her he was in the Air Force, but she didn't seem surprised. Slowly Evan opened up and Ali learned of his secret passion for the arts. She had already known that he sketched but was surprised to find out that he painted. When she learned that he carried a small sketchbook with him all the time, she tried to wrestle it away from him without any luck. Complaining, she stated that she had seen his drawings since the airport, so why couldn't she see his sketchbook? He merely told her that he didn't let anyone see the sketchbook, which was a complete lie. The real reason he didn't want her to see it was because he had a few sketches of her. He wasn't sure how she would take it, so he didn't want to show her the book.

Once, after several drinks in him, he let it slip that after they met at the airport he was intrigued by her being a violinist and had bought one of her CDs. When she asked him what his true thoughts were, he said he suddenly had a new appreciation for classical music, causing her to laugh. He didn't tell her that he often listened to her music while doing paperwork at the SGC. Being in his early thirties Evan also had a love for classic rock music. After all it was the music he grew up on. Surprisingly, Ali despite her youth also enjoyed the same genre of music and they had spent hours on the phone talking about bands and comparing music collections.

Once he finished straightening up his place, he went to the kitchen and ate a small bowl of cereal to keep him energized. After his shower he was flicking through the TV channels waiting for the weather report and dressed.

Minutes later with his keys in one hand and the other hand sorting through playlists on his IPod, he climbed up into his truck and started starting driving to the park where they were scheduled to meet. When he arrived it was a little past 0900, and he did not see Ali's canary yellow hummer anywhere. Casually, he made his way from the parking lot to the water fountain where they agreed to meet and started to stretch.

Almost a full fifteen minutes later he finally heard the familiar sound of Belle's diesel engine. Turning to his left he noticed that she had parked right next to his truck. The door opened, and she jumped down and within seconds was next to him. They greeted each other with a quick hug and a good morning. She apologized for being late, but he waved it off and after a quick stretch they started their jog.

"I was gonna bring Storm, but since I was late, I didn't."

"You talk about your Dane puppy all the time. I would like to meet him. You know, I've always loved dogs, ever since my sister brought a stray home when we were kids. My parents didn't let us keep him, but for two days I was the happiest boy on the block." Willingly he offered up a story about his childhood and how still wished for a dog.

"What? I can't believe you turned out normal. Being as deprived as you were. Well, whenever you want to see Storm you can. He needs someone to teach him to fetch beers and newspapers and how to chase Frisbees." They laughed together for a moment before falling into comfortable silence.

Slowly, they increased their speed. They exchanged a few sentences sporadically as their jog continued. Content that he was not at the SGC for the moment mulling over piles of paperwork he was relaxed and started teasing Ali about her rock climbing.

Roughly a half hour later, they ended their jog earlier than planned and they headed towards an outdoor café that served brunch. Chatting amiably they snacked on fruit while waiting for their orders.

"Do you still have to go into work today?" She asked while spearing another piece of pineapple off of his plate and popping it into her mouth a satisfied yum. Taking a sip of his orange juice, he nodded absently.

"Are you still swamped? Or has it calmed down, yet?" She asked after swallowing. Ali never asked for specifics about his job knowing he couldn't answer, for which he was glad. He leaned back into his chair and groaned slightly before answering her.

"I'm still buried neck high in paperwork."

"Bummer." She grimaced while sending him an apologetic look.

"Are you going to Jackson's party next week?"

"Wait. Jackson throwing a party? As in Daniel Jackson? The same nerd who reads books in bars?"

"It's at Jackson's place, but it was Mitchell's idea. Jackson just gave up with protesting. "

"Figures." She snorted in amusement. "Cam did mention something about it, but what's the occasion?"

"The party is a good-bye party for those of us that are being deployed."

"So a ragin' party in your honor then? Nice! It's what two days before you leave? So then can you get wasted that night?" Ashe leaned forward and placed her hands on the table. She sounded just like an immature college student, but he knew she wasn't being serious so he didn't mind.

"Wasted, probably not, but I can indulge."

"I told Cam I'd stop by but I've got a meeting beforehand. But once I'm there, promise you'll be my beer pong partner?"

"Beer pong?" Flashing a charming grin at her he commented. "How about I challenge you to a game of quarters?"

"Quarters? Your pathetic. There is nowhere near enough alcohol in that game. It's settled. We will be playing beer pong." Before she could continue, her cell phone went off. The chorus to the CCR's "Have you ever seen the rain," was heard signaling that she received a text message. The classic rock song, a favorite of Evan's caused him to smirk and shake his head lightly. As he thanked the waiter for delivering their breakfast, he heard the beeping of buttons in the background. Snapping the phone afterwards she looked at him for a moment, obviously puzzled by something.

"Odd." She commented softly. It if was anyone else, he would wait to see if the person spoke again of their own volition. Not sure if she was talking to herself or to him he responded knowing she wouldn't be offended.

"What is?"

"Well, that was Trish. My parents are out of town, so I've been stopping by to check on their house. Trish lives on the next street. While driving by today, she noticed the SUV again and just told me. It's just odd." She finished lamely, her voice going soft unknowingly.

"SUV?" His tone was curious but his mind had already latched on to what she said and started analyzing.

"Yea. I first noticed it last week. I saw it a few times. At first I thought I was just seeing things, or it was coincidence ya know? But then I was close enough to notice there is a big scratch on the passenger side door, like someone hit it. Very distinctive and I mentioned it to Trish the other day when we all went out for dinner. I pointed it out to her, just to see if I was paranoid."

Evan put down his fork, and drew his knuckles across his jaw. Ali recognized it an unconscious gesture of habit when he was embarrassed or thinking seriously. His eyes were focused somewhere to her left, staring off into space for a few moments. As the seconds dragged, she bit her lower lip, now worried.

Finally he blinked and his eyes sought hers. Not waiting for him to speak first she spoke.

"Do you think it could be a guard? Usually my agent or family tells me when security is around, though." When he shook his head she swallowed hard. With the situation growing darker, she opted for humor to relieve it.

"Maybe it's an obsessed fan?" she jokingly said. As his eyes narrowed and his teeth snapped together in a flash of anger, she realized her mistake. To Evan this wasn't a joke and her careless attitude of the situation angered him. The smile slid off her face and she listened intently as he spoke.

"You should speak to your parents and see if it is guard. You should call your uncle as well. He would want to know. Talk to your agent and see if he has been aware of anything unusual. Check your recent fan mail and see if there are clues there. Keep your eyes open and keep a log of when you see the SUV. If you see it again, or another car that seems too familiar, I want you to tell me immediately. Make sure your house is locked and the alarm on. Storm should stay with you at all times and be careful when you're out." As he continued speaking her mouth became dry and she ran her fingers through her mahogany hair in an uncomfortable fashion. She had spent two weeks getting to know Evan. But the man in front of her was more than just the Evan she knew, this was the Air Force major within him taking charge. If Evan was concerned, then she should be too.

"Evan-"She started, but in reality was unsure of what to say.

"I don't want you to be worried unnecessarily, but it's better to be cautious." He cut her off in a serious voice.

At her wide eyes, his gaze softened and he smiled reassuringly. Responding with a half-hearted smile of her own, she tried to compose herself. Nodding, she showed that not only did she understand what he was saying, but that she trusted him. Satisfied, Evan's entire demeanor changed and he was once again the Evan that she knew.

With a comfortable silence now between them, they resumed eating their breakfast. Ali started talking again about some new movie that had come out but for once Evan wasn't paying attention. He was lost in his own thoughts.

With Ali's confession, he was really troubled and his gut clenched with unease. They lived in Colorado Springs the most populated town in El Paso County. The odds of accidently running into the same person were low, extremely low. For another person, besides Ali to pick up on the vehicle's presence showed that she wasn't just paranoid. He didn't want to push it and scare her, but he already committed the entire conversation to memory and planned to make sure he was kept in the loop. It was unfortunate that she didn't get the license plate though. Remembering that General O'Neill was in Washington he made a note to speak with Mitchell when he went in today.

Just watching her be laid back and eating off his plate, caused his mind to wander. The reason he was so worried was because this was happening to Ali, and she was like no woman he ever met. He wasn't even bothered with the fact that she was more than six years his junior. She carried herself with dignity, respect, and maturity beyond her years. Surmising he knew that it probably had to do with how she was forced to grow up and never got to be a kid.

Lorne could only blink in wonderment, time and time again, as he realized that she appealed to him on so many levels. At her age, she knew who she was and what she wanted to do, and went after it with a passion. A trait he admired greatly in her. He enjoyed their conversations, regardless of their topics. They had talked about everything from favorite cheeses, to politics over the past two weeks. Happy over their similarities, they had bonded over their love for sports and outdoor hobbies. But this time even their differences attracted him to her.

He was a military man through and through, and his life was filled with rules, and organization. In fact he preferred his life to be led by structure. As a major, he was used to people listening to what he had to say, and following his orders without questions. Unlike his subordinates or fellow service men, Ali challenged him left and right. Gods help him but he liked that about her. Ali was not quite his opposite in that aspect but she was close enough. She liked order but was quite vocal in her opinions and beliefs. He had heard he speak with her agent on a few occasions and in each conversation she was the one that decided what she did and when. Often he heard her accepting advice, and listening to the opinions of others that she recognized as being more knowledgeable than her. She wasn't coerced into anything she didn't want to be, and was not easily swayed by others. She listened to others, but did not let their thoughts shape her actions.

One of her greatest flaws though, was her temperament. She reminded him a lot like General O'Neill actually. Her sarcasm equaled her uncle and she often had a problem with authority, when she believed what she was doing was right. She was laid back with most things and only a few things pushed her buttons that he noticed so far. But when she was angered she wasn't the calm fury that the general was. No, she lost focus to everything else around her and became a force to be reckoned with. All the while making facetious remarks, making her even more unpredictable. It was those reasons that he knew she was not fit for the military and glad she was a civilian.

Despite all of this, he was drawn to her, like a moth drawn to the open flame. Her strength and her innocence in the world were so refreshing. Being in special ops in the Middle East and his assignment with the SGC, forced him to do things he wasn't proud of. The darkness within him was great and yet her light gave him the strength to not feel overcome by it. She knew that he was haunted by things in his past, yet didn't judge him. So far she hadn't tried to change or control him anyway. Unlike the women in his past, even Cadman. Ali just sat by him lending her support.

"Evan!" Snapped out of his reverie, his attention was grabbed by Ali, who was leaning over the table staring at him intently. Apparently, she must have called his name a few times.

"What?"

"Your cell is going off. At first I thought you were just ignoring it but then you seemed like you left the building." Tilting her head, she looked at him concerned. Reaching into his pants to grab his phone, he answered her,

"I was just thinking." Frowning, he realized that he had a missed call from the SGC and knew his phone was going to ring again.

"Thinking is dangerous. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, but that was work. I'm going to have to go. Sorry to cut this short." A large part of him didn't want to tell her what his thoughts were because he didn't want to worry her. He wanted to shield her.

"Ah. Excuse me, miss? Can you wrap his food to go please? Thanks." With an arm in the air, she signaled to the waitress for their check.

"You don't-" She cut him off and deciding he didn't want to argue with her he let her continue and take control.

"Nonsense. Its fine, you can take it with you!" She reached into her wallet and started counting bills. As the waitress returned with a to-go container he realized that she was paying for him too. Raised properly, his narrowed gaze flickered between her face and the bills on the counter. Smiling smartly she opened her mouth.

"You paid last time. Besides it's the least I can do, since I'm the one who dragged you out on your morning off." The traditional ring of his phone, made him lose his comeback line. Glancing at the ID, he realized it was Mitchell. Realizing that their breakfast was now over; they both stood up from the table and exchanged a quiet parting. With a wave he started towards his truck with Mitchell chatting in his ears though he wasn't listening. Instead, his thoughts were still on the brunette that he was walking away from.

Because of her, his view on woman and relationships had suddenly become distorted. Traitorous thoughts had wormed their way into his brain. Somehow, without his knowledge, in such a short time she had gotten past his defenses. It was getting harder and harder, to deny that he wanted to be in a serious relationship with her. Engaging in a serious relationship was against all of his beliefs. _It was dangerous and he knew it, but then why did he keep considering it? Why was he so excited to leave the SGC at the end of the day and see her?_ Soon the major within took control and he became completely focused on everything Mitchell was saying and once again pushed the thoughts of her to the back of his mind.

* * *

This ends the "airport girl series!" I intended for this to be the end of the series but what do you think? I could make this into a story, but I'm not sure. If I write a fic it won't be until well into the summer of the new year, because I'm helping the other member of Ageless light with her fic.

Thanks to all my readers and I hand out wonderful cyber cookies to my reviewers throughout the series; **bailey1ak, Mirwalker,** **hifield, Gatebuilder1111, L0stL0ve, AllieB, Teyla'sMan, Miss wizard of oz, jenbynight, Lady Katanya, Morell, Jandii,** and** Madwhiskey!**

Thoughts/Comments/Questions Then please hit the little button on the bottom and review! Your reviews fuel my passion for writing. I look forward to reading your thoughts and advice on how to improve my writing.

~Ageless Light


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